The Open Road
by MyImmortal329
Summary: Daryl is out of a job. Carol is out of a marriage. Two strangers meet and embark on the journey of a lifetime.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Walking Dead.

The Open Road

Chapter 1

"What the hell are you doing?"

"What the hell's it look like I'm doin'?"

"Well," Rick Grimes muttered, rubbing his chin and crouching down on the pavement next to his buddy Daryl, "it looks like you got yourself a flat."

"Congratulations. You got eyes," Daryl muttered, struggling with the jack as he pumped the handle furiously in a desperate attempt to get the truck up so he could change the tire.

"Think it's time you got some new wheels. Third time you've had this thing worked on this month."

"It's just a flat. Ain't nothin' I can't handle," Daryl pointed out, wiping the back of his hand over his sweat-drenched forehead. "'Sides, I got canned today."

"What? Axel fired you? Why?"

"Hell, I don't know. Sumbitch got fired up 'cause I asked for a couple days off to drive down to Savannah and visit Merle. We got into it, and next thing I know, I'm out the door with my last week's pay and a hell of a sore jaw. He did time. Packs a hell of a right hook." He held out his hand, clenching his fist to show his bruised knuckles. "But I gave it back to him as good as he gave it to me."

"Aw, hell," Rick muttered, slumping onto the ground and leaning against the side of the truck. "You alright?"

"Ain't I always?" Daryl grunted, finally getting the truck propped enough. "Move your ass. You're gonna fuck up all my progress." Rick snorted at that scooted away from the truck, rolling Daryl's replacement tire toward him. "Thanks."

"You know, I could ask around at the station, see if there's any odd jobs. You know they're always paying informants."

"Don't have nothin' to inform nobody about. And I don't feel like doin' some cop's job for him anyhow." Rick nodded then.

He and Daryl had grown up together, been best buddies since they were still wearing their superhero pajamas. Rick had grown up in a little more fortunate environment with a sheriff for a daddy and a librarian for a mama. Daryl's daddy had been killed in a drug deal gone wrong before Daryl was old enough to remember, and his mama had spent most of Merle and Daryl's childhood trying to find a replacement father figure, and none of the many men that had come into their lives had stayed for more than a few months, and more than a few of them had been abusive pricks. But Rick had seen his friend through it all, even offering the bottom bunk in his room for a long weekend when they were schoolboys. Daryl had grown up relatively unscathed despite some scars and the occasional nightmare. Merle hadn't been so lucky. He'd gotten in with the wrong crowd from an early age and had spent most of high school in juvie before graduating into the general population at the state pen. Thankfully, Merle had turned his life around and was now a family man. Daryl was still struggling to pay the bills. He was still paying on the truck, even though it looked like it was due for the junk yard.

Rick always offered to help with money, and Daryl always refused. If there was one thing Daryl Dixon was, he was a man who didn't take handouts from anyone. If he needed money, he was going to earn it. And he always managed to make it by the skin of his teeth.

"Alright. Well, you know where to find me if you need a couple bucks."

"Pfft," Daryl scoffed, as he always did. But Rick always felt the need to offer. He had it pretty good. Had himself a pretty wife and a smart boy and a little one on the way. "Yeah, and I'll be takin' your money when hell freezes over."

"They say it's gonna be a cold winter," Rick offered, getting a dry laugh out of Daryl. "Alright, you want me to help with this tire?"

"Nah, it's done. Want a beer?" he asked, tightening the lug nuts.

"Yeah, but I better not. Promised Carl I'd help him finish that damned tree house we've been workin' on since the snow thawed."

"You better get on then. Lori ain't gonna let you hear the end of it if you don't."

"Yeah, you're right," Rick smirked. "Alright, well, you wanna come over for supper tomorrow night? Lori's been wantin' me to get some steaks on the grill. Friend of hers from college is travelin' through, and Lori wants her to stop by for a visit. It'd be nice to have another guy there. You know how Lori gets when her friends are around." Daryl snorted at that.

"Yeah, why not? Sounds good. I'm sure I'm gonna need a drink anyway."

"Alright, brother. See you then."

"Uh-huh," Daryl said with a nod. "See you." He didn't look up as Rick took off to the squad car to head home. He finished with the last lug nut, wiped his hands on the red, oil-stained rag hanging from his back pocket and stood to head into the house.

He took his time in the shower, standing under the stream and scrubbing at his dirt-encrusted nails, getting what looked like a month's worth of grease and grime out from under them, watching the dirty wader swirl down into the drain. When the water ran clean again, Daryl washed his hair and then cut off the water and pulled a towel around his waist. He wiped the fog from the mirror and took a razor to the stubble on his face. He slid a hand over the smooth skin when he was finished and pushed the wet mop of hair out of his face, slicking it back so he could see the worn-out look in his own eyes.

He'd been working hard for too damned long, and he didn't have a hell of a lot to show for it. He had a house that was bought and paid for, but the electric bill seemed to climb every month and there was a leak somewhere in the house. Either that or somebody had switched his water bill with Sea World's.

And he figured he'd be a little more upset about losing his job at the shop than he was, but as he stood there staring at his own face in the mirror, he felt a little relieved. The job had been decent, the pay had been alright, and he'd had a lot of freedom to use his own repair techniques. But he'd been stuck in this damned town since he was born, and he hadn't even really ever taken a proper vacation. It wasn't exactly that he'd been itching for one, but at least now he had the time, even if he didn't really have the money.

He sighed then, pushing back from the sink and shuffling off to his bedroom to pull on a pair of jeans and a white, sleeveless tee. He shrugged on a button down, leaving it unbuttoned, and he headed downstairs to grab a beer and a pack of smokes.

His neighborhood wasn't the greatest, but it was a far cry from the street he grew up on, the place his mama still lived when she died. He and Merle had sold the house as soon as everything was settled, and they'd split the money right down the middle. Thankfully, she hadn't married the last abusive bastard she'd shacked up with, so kicking him out had been the only nice part about the whole ordeal.

It was a pretty quiet night. No fighting, no police cars, nobody screaming as awful things happened behind locked doors. So the last thing Daryl expected to see as he settled down on his porch step, lit his cigarette and pulled the cap off his beer was a big RV rattling down his street.

"What the hell?" he muttered to himself, as the monster vehicle sputtered. In the dim light, the thing looked about as big as a rock star's tour bus, and for a moment, he thought he'd nodded off to sleep. It wasn't often a body saw something like that in Daryl's neighborhood.

The lights flickered, and the driver pulled over, narrowly avoiding knocking his mailbox down in the struggle.

Daryl took a puff of his cigarette before putting it out on the porch step. He took a swig of beer, pushed his hair out of his face and started down the steps and out to the sidewalk. Just as he stepped up alongside the side of the RV, the door swung open, and a small slip of a woman came storming out, gray hair wild from travel, eyes weary but full of exasperation, flashing the bluest blue he'd ever seen. Even in the dim evening light, they sparkled, and Daryl stumbled backward as she brushed past him.

"Damn it," she hissed through her teeth. "Just what I need." She slapped her hand against the front of the vehicle. He watched her then, watched her remove the front panel and move some wires around.

"You need some help?"

"No," she grunted, tugging at something and getting her hand in there pretty good. "I've done this before." She struggled, and Daryl watched her work for a few moments longer.

"You sure?"

"Yep," she replied, brows raising as she apparently found what she needed and grabbed a screw driver out of her back pocket. She seemed to know what she was doing, but the second something snapped, her face fell, and she let the tool clatter to the ground. "Ok, I'm out of options. I guess you can give it a go. What are you, some kind of mechanic?" Daryl smirked when she put her hands on her hips, getting grease on the sides of her sweatpants.

"Yeah," he replied, grabbing for the fallen tool. "You got a flashlight?"

"Somewhere in there," she muttered, climbing up into the camper. He heard her rummaging around inside, and a few moments later, she appeared before him with the sought-after item.

"Turn it on and hold it straight," he urged, ducking down to peek into the engine. "Hell, what you got is a busted fan belt."

"Yeah, I could have told you that," she offered. "I've driven all the way from Martha's Vineyard." Daryl eyed her, dressed in her sporty white sweat pants and her baby blue tank top. Her skin was smooth and soft-looking. Her arms were toned, and he couldn't help but notice the way her clothes hugged her in all the right places. Coming from Martha's Vineyard, she could probably afford the personal trainer, he figured.

"Look, I got one in my garage that'd work just fine for this. You give me ten minutes, I can install it for you," Daryl offered, getting a look of uncertainty from the woman in response. "Or you can just leave this thing to rust in the street. Your call."

"You'll help me?"

"Why not?" Daryl asked with a shrug. "You lost or somethin'?"

"Something," the woman said with a nod. "I think I missed my exit. Or I didn't drive far enough."

"Where you tryin' to get to?" Daryl asked. "I grew up around here. Been here my whole life."

"Uh…Rosewood Avenue," she offered.

"Yeah. Uh, Rosewood? That's downtown. You took the wrong exit, but if you take this street all the way down to the light and turn left, take it all the way downtown. You'll cross Rosewood. Can't miss it. There's a Starbucks on the corner."

"That narrows it down by a few million corners," she chuckled, getting a snort out of him. "Well, I really appreciate the help." She cleared her throat and stepped back into the RV before coming back with a couple of twenties. She held them out to him. "Go on. For the help."

"Ain't fixed it yet. I don't take nobody's money 'til I know I fixed the problem."

"That's very honest of you," she said with a little nod.

"It's just good business," he replied. "I'll go find that fan belt."

"Thank you, uh…"

"Daryl."

"Thanks, Daryl. I'm Carol." He considered her for a moment, and her face tingled when she saw his gaze flash over her body before his own face turned pink. "I'll just wait here." He nodded and headed off toward the house, while Carol ran her fingers through her short locks and felt the strong urge to fan herself. For a random stranger that her RV happened to stop in front of, he sure was nice to look at. She couldn't help but admire his ass in those pants as he walked away.

And then she paused, shrinking back into herself. She clenched her jaw and stepping back into the RV that was still cool from the air conditioning. It was warming up by the minute, so she shut the door, closing herself inside. She moved to the back of the camper, washing the grease from her hands before splashing some water on her face in the small bathroom sink. She leaned over the counter, peering at herself in the mirror. She stared for a good, long minute until she heard someone clanging around out front of the RV. She took a deep breath and got herself under control before slipping back out into the dusky, humid evening.

Sweat was already beading at his brow, and he'd slipped off his button up, wearing nothing but a white, sleeveless shirt, showing off his impressive, sculpted arms. Remembering herself, she cleared her throat and put her hand on the RV door.

"Daryl, would you like a glass of lemonade?"

"You got lemonade in there?"

"I've got just about everything in there," she chuckled. He eyed her for a moment.

"Sure," he said with a nod.

"I'll be right back." She disappeared into the camper again, re-appearing a few minutes later with two glasses of cool lemonade. "Sorry it's not colder." He accepted a glass and swallowed half of it down in three gulps.

"It's good," he said with a nod. "Thanks." Carol's eyes brightened then, looking as if it was the first compliment she'd ever received. But she turned quickly and moved to stand on the sidewalk with her own glass in hand.

Daryl put his glass down on the ground and continued working until he had the new belt in place.

"Alright, give it a try," he offered, closing up the panel on the front of the RV. He grabbed his glass and finished the rest of his beverage, while she climbed into the camper and started it up. It sounded brand new. He heard her laugh and give a loud clap, and then she cut the engine and stepped back out.

"Thank you, Daryl." She tugged the two twenties out of her pocket and handed them to him. He shook his head and handed her the empty glass, refusing the cash. "C'mon, the lemonade wasn't that good. Just take the money." She gave him a little grin, and Daryl couldn't help but blush.

"Best lemonade I ever had," he offered with a shrug, pulling a crumpled pack of smokes from his jeans and lighting one up. Carol watched the way his eyes fixed on hers, and she felt a shiver run up her spine. His gaze moved to the RV, and she saw the curiosity on his features.

"Everyone wants to see the bathroom," she laughed. At his quizzical look, she blushed. "It's custom. Has a shower and everything." She chewed her bottom lip. "It's practically an apartment on wheels."

"Been in a camper before," he said with a nod, taking a long pull on his cigarette. "Nothin' this fancy though." Carol cocked her head to the side a little, and she smiled.

"Would you like to come in, Daryl? I can give you the tour." Despite himself, he felt a tug that reached from his belly to his groin at the thought of pressing her up against the side of that camper and kissing her slowly and deeply. He nearly choked on the last puff of his cigarette, before he tossed it into the street and gave her a little nod.

"Yeah," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. "Sounds good."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The RV had quite a bit of room inside, much to Daryl's surprise. It was long and narrow, but it had all the comforts of home. A long sofa sat along the side behind the driver's seat, while a flat-screen TV was hooked up to the side behind the passenger's seat. A long counter with several drawers led to a stove, sink and full-size refrigerator. A small bathroom sat off to the left, complete with a sink, toilet and full-size corner shower. In the back was a large bed and even a bedside table with an alarm clock. It was the kind of thing that his brother Merle would have called "a rich prick's dream."

"Nice for a camper," he said with a nod, glancing around the place.

"Well, thanks," she chuckled. "A gift from my husband." Daryl eyed her for a moment, gaze moving down to the small, pale patch of skin on her ring finger. "Uh, ex-husband. It was more like a parting gift. I got it in the divorce." She flexed her fingers for a moment and bit her bottom lip briefly.

"Sorry," he muttered, rubbing the palm of his hand over his face as the events of the day began to catch up on him. Despite his intense desire for Carol to give him 'the tour,' he was absolutely exhausted.

"I'm not." Her voice was soft and careful, as if speaking about it would conjure her ex up out of the ether and put him right between them in the cramped spot between the kitchen and the bedroom. "Would you like another drink?"

"Sure," he said with a nod, remembering his half-drank beer sitting on his porch step. She rummaged through the fridge and came out with a beer.

"Here," she offered. "Sorry if it isn't very cold." Daryl nodded his thanks and popped the top, taking a quick swig.

"You havin' one?"

"Uh, no," she chuckled. "I still need to find my way downtown tonight. I have reservations."

"You're drivin' an RV and stayin' in a hotel?"

"I'm going to be in town for a couple days," she said with a shrug. "And rather than find a place to park both nights, I'd rather just stay somewhere nice and take a relaxing swim." She smiled a little. "A person can go a little stir crazy in one of these things."

"Then why travel in it? Sell it and get a car or somethin'." Carol chuckled at that and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe someday," she said with a sad smile. "But for now, it's getting me where I need to go."

"Where's that?" he asked, leaning back against the counter and taking another sip of beer. Carol raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders.

"Everywhere. Anywhere." She nodded toward one of the drawers under the counter. "Open it." Daryl reached for the handle and slid it open. "I've just been playing around with the idea of it, but I love it. Just so you know, I don't let just anybody look at these. Only strangers that just happen to be good with fixing a fan belt." Daryl smirked at that but pulled out the stack of prints. They were small posters, each one a crisp, bold image of a sunset or a waterfall or a beach.

"You took these?"

"Hmm," she said with a nod. "The day my divorce was settled, I packed up, drove up to the very tip of Maine, and I started driving, taking pictures of anything, everything. These are a few of my favorites." She smiled when he got to one of a great, beautiful waterfall. "Look familiar?

"That Niagara Falls?"

"Hmm. It was breathtaking. I got there just before sunset, and it had just rained. See the rainbow bridging across the water? You can't even photoshop something that beautiful."

"Looks real good. You got talent."

"Yeah? I don't know. But I promised myself I was going to visit as many places as possible while I'm still young enough to do it."

"Must be nice to have that kinda cash," Daryl muttered. Carol bristled, pulling back from the counter. Daryl noticed the way she seemed to pull into herself, as if trying to find her bearings. But when her shoulders fell, she shrugged, and he couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind.

"It actually doesn't cost as much as you'd think. Most nights, I sleep here, so I don't have to pay for a hotel. Gas is the most expensive part. I don't eat at expensive restaurants. I make my own meals most of the time." She shrugged. "Sometimes it's lonely. A little quiet. Sometimes that's the best part." She smiled a little.

"Sorry. Didn't mean it to sound the way it did." Carol narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yes you did," she smirked. "Go on. Say what's on your mind."

"Nah, I'll pass."

"Go on. It's refreshing," she said with a little laugh. Daryl chewed his lip for a moment before sucking down the last of his beer. He let the empty bottle clang against the countertop when he put it down before he pushed off from where he was leaning and took a step closer to her. A brief glimpse of hesitation flooded her eyes, and he stayed right where he was, not daring to take a single step further.

"Just thinkin' it must be nice to not have to worry 'bout bills or a job or people."

"Oh, I worry about those things," she insisted. "Believe me, I do. But I also learned after being stuck in a bad marriage for 15 years that you have to do something for yourself first. Sometimes it's ok to be a little irresponsible. Sometimes it's ok to do something crazy. Even if you lose in the end, you have to take a chance and live a little." Daryl considered that for a moment, considered all the times he'd wished he could just throw his shit in the back of his truck and take off to parts unknown and start over. He'd thought about it a thousand times, maybe more. He'd spent countless nights wondering what might happen if he'd ever finally find his balls and do something so bold and stupid without thinking about the consequences. Maybe, he thought, that was what he was supposed to do. Maybe that was how he was supposed to start the next chapter of his life.

He looked back down at the pictures in his hands. They were good, some of them better than the others, but there was one thing that stood out in each of them. Each photo was taken with great care and love for the subject. The angles she'd chosen seemed to highlight a particular uniqueness about each subject. He didn't know a lick about photography, but he knew a good picture when he saw it.

"You could put these in a book."

"That's the hope. One day," she said with a little nod. She set her gaze upon his face as he shuffled through the last of the pictures. She admired the way his lip would curl up at the side when he'd see on he liked or the way he'd glance up at her between pictures, searching her face for a moment, as if waiting for a story. "You want another drink, Daryl?"

"Nah, shouldn't. It's gettin' late." He cleared his throat, turning to tuck her pictures back into the drawer. "Don't know a lot about photography, but I think you got talent." He leaned against the counter then, his back to her, and he could hear her stepping closer to him. He could feel his pulse pounding in his chest. He felt a little dizzy, a little drunk, but certainly not from the beer.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "I really appreciate that."

"Don't know how much it means comin' from a stranger that's good with a fan belt." Carol laughed at that, feeling lightness in her heart that she hadn't felt for such a long time. She watched as he hung his head for a moment, hands gripping the countertop.

 _This is crazy. You don't know him. Maybe that's the best part. Don't over think it. Just enjoy yourself_.

She gasped softly at her own thoughts, and Daryl turned on his heel, eyeing her, pupils wide and dark. She looked up at him, lips parted just a little, shoulders trembling at her own bold thoughts.

 _He won't hurt you. You'll never see him again. This is good. This is moving on._

"So you're just passin' through?" he asked, voice low, eyes dark and leveled right on hers.

"Just passing through," she murmured, face warming the moment his gaze moved lower, admiring the way her shirt clung to her body. Suddenly, the camper felt like it was spinning, and she reached behind her, gripping the side of the bathroom door for purchase.

He didn't really know what was happening, didn't really care. He hadn't been with a woman in longer than he'd ever care to admit. It'd been a year and a half ago after the boys at the garage had a Christmas party. He couldn't remember her name. It hadn't meant anything. It never meant anything. And it hadn't been very good, as far as he could remember. He'd been just as drunk as she'd been, and he'd never seen her again after that. She was a fuzzy memory in the back of his head, but he would never forget that Christmas, because it was the first time he'd realized that all his sex life would ever amount to was a series of first times and awkward morning afters.

"You alright?" he asked, stepping toward her when her shoulders slumped.

"Yeah," she murmured, pushing off from the counter. "Just a little warm."

"Yeah. It's kinda hot." She blushed then, moving to open up one of the side panel windows. When she turned, he was in the same spot, watching her, hands gripping the counter behind him, as if he was holding himself back. And a rush of heat flooded her core, igniting a raging fire through her veins. She licked her lips, tasting the salt of her own sweat as her pulsed thrummed faster beneath her breast.

This was new. It was exciting and terrifying, and she could almost hear Ed's voice warning her not to do something she'd regret. Oh, she'd had the chance to do so many things she'd regret over the years, but fear had always taken the upper hand and kept her from straying. But Ed was no longer in the way, and the only thing keeping her from that satisfying, freeing release was a couple of feet of space filled with nothing but air that seemed to thicken by the second.

But did he want it? Oh, he wanted it. She could tell by the way his gaze roamed over her body, the way the tips of his ears that poked out from his shaggy hair turned pink to match his cheeks. She could see the hint of an erection pressing against the fly of his jeans, and her whole body was thrumming now, beating a steady throb from her heart to her core, blood rippling as heat scorched a path through her veins.

 _Just once. Don't think. Just feel. You don't have to marry him, you know?_

"You, um, want to see the rest of the place?" She nodded toward the bedroom, and all he could do was nod and swallow. His tongue felt thick and dry, and he swallowed again, trying not to groan when her smile widened and she brushed past him, her hand just grazing over his stomach, moving down far enough to brush over the buckle of his belt but not far enough to touch the very part of him that needed to be touched the most. He felt like his brain might melt if it got any hotter.

She reached for a small switch that dimmed all the lights in the RV down to almost complete darkness. He could hear her voice hitch in her throat, and he strained to see her. The sun had set minutes ago, and all he could feel when he stepped forward and reached out was the wall behind her back. He felt her breath hit his neck, and he nearly stumbled backward, but when he felt her hands on his shoulders, he thought better. He had her trapped there between himself and the wall, but she didn't really seem to mind. In fact, the moment he felt her lips on his neck, he wondered just how in the hell he'd ever be able to get her out of his mind.

Her lips brushed over his pulse, and she placed a soft kiss there, bringing one hand up to thread through his hair, giving it a gentle but quick pull to get his attention.

"Shit," he murmured, pulling her hips into his hands, kneading them gently as she rested her forehead against his chin.

"I've never done this," she whispered. "I mean, I've done this, but not like…not like this." She stood on her tiptoes then, pressing a tentative kiss to his lips. "I'm out of practice." She tugged his bottom lip between her teeth. "Am I…am I wrong?" She heard a noise in his throat, but when he squeezed her hips a little tighter and bent down to press his lips to hers, she relaxed, snaking one arm around his neck and letting him press her against the wall by the bed.

"You ain't wrong," he murmured when he broke for a breath. She chuckled then, kissing his throat, nibbling gently at his Adam 's apple before her hand moved down his back and then up under the fabric of his shirt. He shivered the second her fingertips grazed over his spine, and he bit back a growl before pulling her back from the wall, pressing her close, kissing her softly at first, but when her hand continued to trace those dizzying patterns over his back, it was as if dormant embers had sparked to life, heating his blood and sending it straight toward his cock.

"Oh," she gasped, feeling his erection pressing against her thigh. "You do this often?" He snorted, and she laughed as he lowered her down to the bed, letting her land with a bounce.

"Been a while," he admitted. "You, too?"

"Yeah," she panted, as she heard the definitive clinking of a belt buckle, followed by the unmistakable flop of heavy denim as it hit the floor. "You have anything?" Daryl paused.

"Fuck."

"It's ok," she whispered. "Under the sink in the bathroom. " At his hesitation, she sat up a little, wriggling out of her pants. "I found them the last time Ed went camping with his 'buddies.' His buddy's name was Nina." She snorted then, and he could hear the bed shift as she lifted her hips to take off her panties. He could smell her arousal, and it drove him crazy that he couldn't see her. He reached for the lights, but he felt a hand over his, stopping him. "Please."

"Alright," he grunted, stripping off the rest of his clothes and he made his way to the small bathroom.

 _What the fuck his happening? You're dreamin'. That's it. This can't be happenin' to you._ _S'alright. At least you're gettin' some, even if it is just a dream._

"Daryl?"

 _Maybe it ain't. Good for you._

"M'comin'," he called, reaching blindly under the sink.

 _Yeah, but let's hope it ain't too soon. You might never see her again, but at least make it good for her._

He finally found the box of condoms and fished one out, quickly rolling it over his dick and returning to the small bedroom, feeling blinding over the bed until his fingers brushed over her thigh. She gasped softly, bringing her hand to his, tugging him over her.

He paused as he moved to kiss her neck, realizing she was still wearing her shirt. He went to grab for it, needing to feel more of her, needing to taste her and wanting to make her feel good, but she stopped him, bringing her hand to his wrist.

"Please, don't."

"What's wrong?"

"Just…leave it. Please." She trembled under him.

"You want me to stop?"

"No. Don't stop. Just leave it." He held himself up above her, barely even able to make out her face in the darkness, wondering why the hell she wanted to leave her shirt on when he couldn't see shit to begin with. But when he heard the anxiety creep up in her voice and felt her tremble beneath him, he knew not to press it. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable.

"You sure about this?"

"Yes. Please," she panted, bringing her arms around him, pulling him closer, kissing his neck, nipping and sucking there until he was groaning, seeking out her mouth with his own. He kissed her then, slowly at first, but the moment her hand slipped between them and wrapped around his dick, all thoughts flew out the window, and everything soft and slow turned desperate and hungry. And when she wrapped one leg around his hip, he brought his hand between her legs, stroking her, feeling just how much she needed him. She was soaking, and he thought he might come before he even got started, and the choked gasp at the back of his throat must have resonated with her, because she let go of his dick and pulled her arms around his neck, burying her face against his neck as he pressed into her.

She cried out then, arching her back, arching into him, her walls clenching around him so tightly he had to close his eyes and press his forehead against her shoulder, digging deep within himself to find anchor, to steady himself and keep his composure. She felt so good, so hot and wet around him, and his body responded to every touch, to every breath. The moment she whispered his name in his ear, he thought he might die, but he held on, gripping her hips, pulling out and pushing back home, faster and harder until she was whimpering beneath him, nails biting into his skin as she cried out her pleasure against the hollow of his throat.

He brought his hand between her legs again, finding her clit, teasing it with his thumb as he thrust into her. He knew he'd found the right spot when her nails dug deeper, when her cries grew sharper and her breathing became ragged. And when he felt her shudder against him as a rush of warmth surrounded him, he finally let go, tumbling off the edge and falling into her, light bursting behind his eyes as he collapsed against her, breathing hard as their hands and legs slipped against each other. She kissed his shoulder then, gently pushing at his shoulder as he pulled out and rolled off, disposing of the condom in a little waste basket by the small bed. He sat on the edge, hands on his knees, back bowed as he leaned forward and tried to catch his breath.

He peeked over his shoulder to see her sliding her panties up her legs.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Hmm? Yeah. Yeah, I'm great," she said softly, trying to keep her voice light and even.

"You sure?"

"Yeah," she chuckled. "I…I don't want you to think I'm the kind of woman that just travels the country and goes to bed with random strangers. Well, I guess, in this instance, I did, but…I really don't…and…" She paused. "I guess it really doesn't matter anyway, because we're never going to see each other again."

"Guess not," he said quietly. "But if it helps, I believe ya." Carol chuckled then, running her hand over the plane of his back.

"Thanks," she said softly. "This meant…well…I don't know what to say. Thank you would sound…cheap. It wasn't." She cleared her throat. "I guess we were both in the right place at the right time."

"Guess so," he murmured, reaching to find his pants on the floor. He sat there, pants in hand, not really wanting to get up from that spot.

 _Don't overstay yer welcome. Don't make this more'n what it is. She don't want that._

"I should go," he said quietly. "You need help findin' your hotel?"

"No, I can manage," she assured him, getting up to grab her pants off the floor. They dressed in silence, and when Daryl felt her reach out and touch his shoulder, he shivered at the contact of her warm skin against his. She reached over to brighten the lights and gave him a smile. "I had a good time." She bit her lip and blushed at the way he was looking at her. She still felt a little dizzy, a little keyed up, and the last thing she wanted was to let him walk out that door, but she knew what this was. As much fun as it had been, this was it, and it was time to go. "I'll walk you out."

Daryl nodded then, lingering for a moment before starting toward the front of the camper. Carol was right behind him, gently putting her hand upon his shoulder when he stepped out. He turned as soon as he stepped out, looking up at her perched in the doorway, and she moved to ruffle his hair, grinning down at him. She looked so beautiful in the moonlight, hair damp and glistening with sweat.

"You ever head back this way, look me up," Daryl offered, moving to put his hands at her hips. She beamed down at him and shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah. Maybe I will," she offered.

"Well," he muttered, shuffling his feet as he desperately sought out something else to say to stall her from leaving. "Ok, then."

"Ok, then," she grinned. Did he kiss her or did he walk away? They both knew what this was, but it seemed wrong to let her go without kissing her one last time. He wanted far more than that, wanted a chance to really get to know her, to explore her, but she was leaving, and if he was being honest with himself, she would probably find somebody better along the way and forget all about him. Still, he couldn't resist the urge.

He stepped back up, and she backed into the RV enough to give him room. Then they were kissing a little more passionately than was probably acceptable for a goodbye kiss. His thumbs rubbed just under her breasts along her ribcage, and her hands were in his hair, finding purchase as the air thickened around them again. They were playing with fire, and Carol was the first to realize they were about to get burned. She gently pushed at his shoulders, smiling a little when she saw the blush in his cheeks. She ran her thumb over his lip and grinned before pushing his hair back and out of his eyes.

"Ok," she said softly. "I should go."

"Alright," he grunted, clearing his throat. "Be careful."

"Please. I've already used at least four of my nine lives and lived to tell the tale." Daryl chuckled at that. She gave him a wink and sighed softly when he turned to step back out onto the sidewalk. "Goodnight, Daryl."

"Night," he murmured. He started to turn to walk away, but she called back out to him.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"Maybe I will look you up sometime. You know, a girl can't keep driving forever. Eventually, I'll run out of land and have to turn around and come back." Daryl watched her, watched the way she leaned against the doorway, watched the way her fingers gripped the steel as if keeping her from running forward or retreating. He couldn't tell which. "What if you move? How will I find you?"

"Dixon," he muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "My last name."

"Daryl Dixon," she said with a grin of approval. "I like it."

"Yeah, I'm stuck with it, either way." Carol laughed a little, and he swore it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. Of course, he was still running off the high of an orgasm, but everything about her seemed to be perfect. Everything, except the fact that she was leaving.

"Carol Mason."

"Married name?"

"God, no," she scoffed. "I dropped that before the ink was dry on my divorce papers." Daryl grinned at that and nodded his head before grabbing another cigarette from his pack and lighting up.

"Well, I'll be around. Ain't goin' nowhere." _Nowhere at all. Nowhere, never._

"Ok," she said with a smile, cheeks flaming red. "Bye, Daryl." She shut the door before he could say goodbye, and then with a final little wave from the driver's seat, she was heading off down the road and out of his life. He knew he'd probably never see her again, and in the morning, he might wonder if it had all been a dream, but even if it had, it would be one he'd remember for the rest of his life.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Where's Lori?" Daryl asked, ducking into the modest two-story home where toys were lined up and down the sides of the stairs, immediately giving away the fact that an eleven year old boy lived there. "For that matter, the place is too quiet. Where's Carl?"

"They went out for a few minutes. Lori was on my ass about forgettin' the potato salad."

"Hell, you ain't never gettin' outta the doghouse now," Daryl smirked, as Rick shut the front door behind him. "You let your pregnant wife go to the store, while you're here in the air conditionin' havin' a beer?"

"She volunteered," Rick laughed. "She's miserable, and she said she wanted to help. 'Sides, she went to pick up her friend."

"Oh," Daryl muttered, following Rick into the kitchen. Rick plucked a fresh beer out of the fridge and popped the top before handing it to his friend. "Thanks."

"So, this friend of Lori's…she's in town for a few days. You know, she might want somebody to show her around town." Daryl paused, mid swig, and he glared at Rick. He gulped down the mouthful of beer before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"That why you invited me over? To try and play matchmaker?"

"Wasn't my idea. It was Lori's. But that ain't really the first priority."

"I ain't interested," Daryl said flatly.

"Oh, hell. Here we go."

"Here we go with what?" Daryl asked.

"You trying to end up alone?"

"Maybe I don't mind bein' alone," Daryl pointed out. "Maybe I do just fine by myself." Rick shook his head and smirked.

"Yeah, but it's so much better if you do it with somebody."

"Shut up, asshole," Daryl grunted. "I don't need no help in that department neither."

"Oh really? When's the last time you had a date?" Daryl rubbed the back of his neck and took another swig of beer.

"Alright. Fine. Lori just suggested it, but her friend probably wouldn't want some backward asshole like you pawin' all over her anyway."

"Fuck you," Daryl snorted. Rick laughed, and he grabbed another beer from the fridge.

"You talk to Axel yet?"

"Why would I?" Daryl asked, following Rick out onto the patio and passed the refrigerator covered with family pictures, ultrasound photos and those little personalized magnets from various states.

"C'mon, you're gonna need a job, and you're the best mechanic he had. If one of you don't break soon, you're both gonna be sorry."

"I don't need that damned job," Daryl grunted, sitting down in one of the patio chairs. Rick sighed and moved over to the grill, flipping the burgers and turning the hotdogs. "What? You think I should go crawlin' back and beggin' for my job?"

"I'm just sayin', a man's gotta eat."

"I ain't broke. I got money saved back. It'll get me by 'til I find somethin' else."

"Yeah? How long's that gonna last you. You gotta wake up, Daryl. I'm saying this as your friend."

"You done?" Daryl moved his hand to rub his neck, and Rick narrowed his eyes at him.

"What's that?" Rick asked, stepping over to his friend.

"What's what?"

"Move your hand," Rick smirked. Daryl moved his hand away, staring up at Rick like he'd grown an extra head. "Who's the girl?"

"The hell are you goin' on about?" Daryl grunted, taking another pull of his beer.

"Unless you got romantic with a Hoover, you met a girl." He laughed then, and Daryl groaned, hopping up to check his reflection in the patio doors. Sure enough, there was a hickey. It wasn't big, but it was visible, and he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him.

"Fuck."

"Well, I gotta say I'm happy for ya. Who is she?"

"It don't matter," Daryl muttered. "She's gone. Just passin' through."

"So?"

"So what?"

"You're damn near 40, Daryl. You gonna tell me you only got to second base?"

"That any of your damn business? Listen to ya. Yammerin' on like a high school girl." Daryl sucked down another swig of beer. "Burgers. That's your business. Better not burn 'em, or Lori'll have your ass." Rick shot him a look before moving to flip the burgers again.

"So, if she was just passin' through, then there won't be no harm in meetin' Lori's friend."

"I ain't interested," Daryl muttered, unable to shake the memory of her sparkling blue eyes, the way her hair looked silver in the moonlight, the way her soft skin felt in his hands, the way they fit together in such a way that he ached for her now that she was gone.

"Alright. I won't mention it again, but I can't promise Lori won't."

"Fuck," Daryl muttered, drinking down the last drop of beer and beginning a mental countdown to getting home and crawling into bed. He didn't much feel like socializing anyway. Pretty much all he wanted to do was go home and think about her, though that would just get him all worked up with nothing to do but take a long shower and release the tension himself. That's what he'd done the second he'd stepped foot in the house after she'd driven away. He only wished she'd stayed a little longer, but he knew he was just supposed to just take it for what it was.

Rick's cell phone vibrated, and he quickly took the call.

"Hey. Where you at? Alright. Yeah, burgers are done. They look great." He frowned down at the slightly charred meat. "Yeah. Alright. See you in a few minutes. Love you." He quickly ended the call and tossed the burnt burgers in the trash. "I better start these over."

"Let me do it," Daryl snorted. "You can't grill for shit."

...

"You're quiet," Lori said with a grin, peeking into the rear view mirror to see Carl snoozing in the back seat.

"Sorry," Carol murmured. "I'm a little tired."

"You ok?"

"Yeah," Carol assured her. "I'm fine. I'm better than the last time you saw me." She glanced at Lori. "Speaking of…does Rick know about that?"

"All Rick knows is that I went to help a friend who was leaving her husband."

"You didn't tell him anything else?" Carol asked softly.

"You asked me not to," Lori said softly. "But if you ask me, I think the whole world deserves to know what a pig Ed Peletier is."

"Lori, I just…you have to understand where I'm coming from."

"I understand," she said softly, lowering her voice when Carl stirred in the back seat. "I understand the only thing you had to your name was that RV, and that's only because Ed put it in your name when he bought it. I also understand you had to hide your own hard-earned money just to save back enough to get away." Lori shook her head. "How are you doing on money, anyway?"

"On my money? I'm surviving," Carol promised quietly, picking at a frayed piece of denim on the knee of her jeans. "I haven't touched a penny of the divorce settlement. I know you think I'm crazy, buying that camera and hauling off across the country, but I couldn't stay at that motel anymore."

"I think you're crazy for not taking the son of a bitch for all he's worth," Lori pointed out. "I swear to God, I thought you were gonna die." Carol glanced at Lori and swallowed the lump in her throat when she saw the concern and the tears in her friend's eyes.

"I survived." She looked away.

"And Ed's still a free man. What if he does it to someone else?"

"I can't," Carol choked out. "I can't think about that. Please." The truth was, she hadn't wanted a dime of Ed's money, but her lawyer had convinced her she needed something. All she had was that RV, and it was going to be home. She had saved up about ten grand over three years working as a legal secretary, which was where she'd met her amazing lawyer, Andrea Harrison, who had worked tirelessly to get Carol out of her nightmare of a marriage. She'd wanted to go for the jugular, to hit Ed where it hurt the most, but Carol had insisted that she wanted to it all done and over so she could move on with her life. In the end, Andrea had won a $50,000 settlement for Carol, and Ed had kept his job, his reputation, the house, the cars, and most of the money.

"Honey, I'm sorry," Lori said softly. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"It's ok," Carol said quietly.

"No, it's not. That man did a number on you." She shook her head. "You're a bigger person than I am. I wouldn't have stopped until everybody hated him as much as I do." She hit a pothole, jarring the car, and Carol flinched.

Suddenly, Carl sat up in his seat and tapped his mom on the shoulder.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Mom, I gotta go."

"Can you hold it 'til we get home?"

"No."

"Alright, hold on." Lori said with a sigh, pulling into a little gas station on the side of the road. "You need me to come in?"

"Mom, I'm eleven," Carl replied with a groan.

"Oh, I'm _sorry,_ " Lori chuckled. "Hurry up then. Don't talk to strangers." Carl rolled his eyes and hopped out of the back of the car, rushing up to the gas station doors. Lori turned her attention back to Carol.

"Don't look at me like that," Carol murmured.

"How am I looking at you?"

"Like you feel sorry for me. Don't do that. I got out. I'm alive. I'm happy. I am." She cleared her throat. "I met someone."

"You…you met someone?" Lori's eyes widened about as wide as her jaw fell open. "Well, that's…that's great. Who's the guy?"

"I don't even…I'm not even going to see him again. I met him last night when I took the wrong exit to the hotel." She chuckled. "It was…" Carol blushed then, and Lori grinned.

"Oh, this is good. This is progress. So, what happened?"

"The RV broke down right in front of his house. He fixed my fan belt, I gave him some lemonade, and the next thing I knew, we were both getting dressed, and I was driving off into the night."

"Oh my God," Lori murmured. "Are you…I mean, are you ok?"

"I'm good. It was…freeing," she said quietly. "He was…I can't even explain it. But I've never done anything like that in my entire life." She swallowed hard. "Ed's the only man I've ever been with, and last night was just…" She smiled. "I feel…good."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Carol said with a little smile, leaning back against the headrest. "I feel like the further I get away from that place, away from Ed, the more I feel like I'm becoming the person I'm supposed to be. Not that I'm saying I'm the kind of person who sleeps with a stranger I just met, but I feel better than I did with Ed."

"Well, you should. He beat the hell out of you," Lori said quietly. "I wish you would have let me take you to the hospital. I should have called the police. I know you asked me not to, but I should have."

"Lori, it's over. Ed's lawyers don't care about guilt or innocence. They care about getting paid and doing whatever it takes to get paid. And Ed has more money than you or I will ever see." She shook her head. Even Andrea had understood that in the end. Between the countless threatening, untraceable calls in the middle of the night from Ed's team and Carol's begging Andrea to back off because of Ed's ruthlessness, Andrea had given in and given up and let Carol do it her way.

"Yeah, and Ed gave you a tiny chunk of his change and got away with treating you like a human ash tray." Carol flinched then, hugging her arms around her middle.

"I just needed it to be over. I didn't want to go to court. I didn't want to testify. I just wanted him out of my life, and he is." She sighed. "Don't worry about me, Lori. I know what I'm doing. And I'm happy now."

"So what are you going to do with that divorce settlement, anyway? It's yours. You should use it for yourself."

"I did without Ed's money before I met him."

"Yeah, but you earned it, putting up with him all those years."

"I'm done," Carol said with a shake of her head. "I'll put it to good use. I just haven't figured out what that is yet."

"Carol, I just want you to know that if you need a place to stay for a few days, you're always welcome to stay with us. I know the idea of traveling the country and seeing the sights is one you've talked about since college, but you don't even have a home. That's reality." She shook her head. "You should use Ed's money to buy you a nice place, a place that's all yours. You should start over."

"Lori, I'm fine," Carol said quietly, looking away. "And in a way, I think I did start over last night." She smiled a little and leaned her head back. "I'm gonna be ok." Just then, the glass doors out front of the gas station swung open, and Carl came walking out, drying his hands on the sides of his jeans. Carol cleared her throat and nudged Lori, who started the car.

"I'm hungry," Carl complained as he slid into the back seat.

"Well, put your belt on, baby. We'll be home soon."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Smells good!" Lori said with a grin, greeting her husband with a kiss in the middle of the kitchen.

"Uh, yeah, about that," Rick chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, "Daryl's on burger duty. I burned 'em."

"Daryl can cook?"

"Better than me, apparently." Lori smirked at that and gave him another kiss as Carl made a beeline for the fridge.

"Hey. Hey! We're about to have dinner."

"Yeah, but this is dessert," Carl pointed out, grabbing a fudge pop from the freezer.

"You'll ruin your appetite," Rick pointed out. "Put it back and go wash your hands. Dinner's in five minutes." Carl sighed and rolled his eyes before clomping up the stairs to clean up.

"You'd think we just asked him to mow every yard on the block," Lori said with a shake of her head. "I shudder to think what he'll be like when he's sixteen."

"It's just a phase. He'll get over it," Rick said with a shrug, as Carol came in from the living room, placing her purse along the back of one of the tall chairs at the counter. "Carol, it's been ages."

"Good to see you, Rick," Carol said with a grin, giving him a quick hug. "How's being a sheriff's deputy treating you?"

"Most days are alright," he offered. Lori rolled her eyes.

"Oh, he can sure spin a tale about the awful pain of traffic tickets. Oh, tell her the one about the drunk guy running naked along the freeway," Lori teased.

"Honey, it's more than drunks and traffic stops."

"I know," Lori replied with a grin, kissing him softly. "You're very brave."

"I _am_ ," he insisted playfully, reaching out to rub Lori's belly. "How's she doin'?"

"I think she's playing soccer. She's wearing me out," Lori replied with a sigh. "Baby, I'm gonna go wash up. I'll be out in a few." She handed him the bag with potato salad and extra hot dog buns before starting up the stairs.

"You're welcome to head out and have a seat. We've got cold beer in the fridge, or we've got lemonade."

"Thanks," Carol said with a grin. "I might grab something in a bit."

"Go on out. Relax. Put your feet up. From what I hear, you've been on the road a while."

"A while," she said with a weary sigh before flashing him a smile. "Lori's glowing."

"Yeah," Rick chuckled. "Hard to believe we're havin' another one." He shook his head, and Carol looked away, remembering all the mixed emotions every time her period was late. Hope and dread. It was always a painful combination. Carol smiled then, turning toward the patio doors. She stepped out, letting the sun warm her face, letting the fresh, Georgia air fill her lungs. And then she saw him standing by the grill, head bent as he filled a plate with fresh burgers and hotdogs. A cigarette smoldered at the corner of his mouth before he pulled it out and flicked it onto the patio pavement.

Carol watched the tip smolder before fizzling into wisps of smoke and ash on the breeze. She looked back up at him, and for a moment, she almost didn't let herself believe it was him. It couldn't be, right? But there was no mistaking that shaggy hair, that handsome face, those hands that had touched her and sparked a fire inside of her that still smoldered beneath the surface of her skin.

Her breath caught in her chest, and for a moment, she thought about turning and walking right back inside and asking Lori to take her right back to the hotel. She could always make up some excuse. 'Oh, I just don't feel well.' She'd done it many times before when someone would ask her why she seemed to sad. She always excused it with being tired or not feeling well to mask the pain she felt hiding Ed's abuse.

But this wasn't Ed. She really didn't even know _who_ Daryl was, but she knew he wasn't Ed. She'd always thought herself to be a pretty good judge of character, except, of course, when it came to Ed. Still, when she'd met Ed, she'd had this niggling feeling of doubt in her chest that she pushed away as her mother's disapproving influence. But her mother had been right to disapprove of Ed, and marrying him had been the biggest mistake of her life. Daryl wasn't a mistake. She didn't regret their night together at all, but she really wasn't sure how he might react to seeing her again. So, she supposed there was only one thing to do. She took a deep breath and let go.

"So, you come here often?" Daryl turned from the grill and dropped the spatula. He nearly burnt his hand the second he grabbed for it.

"Son of a bitch," he spat, sucking his sore finger between his lips and dulling the ache from the mild scorch. He quickly knocked the spatula off the grill and put it aside before he looked up at her.

"What're you doin' here?" he asked. He licked his lips anxiously before stuffing his hands in his pockets. Carol gave him a sheepish smile and shrugged.

"Visiting a friend."

"You're Lori's college friend?" Daryl asked, looking toward the house and then back at her.

"Small world," Carol chuckled, feeling her cheeks burning as she tried to read him. Was he happy to see her? Was he as uncomfortable as she was? Her heart thrummed like a hummingbird's wings in her chest, and she took a deep breath to try and calm herself.

"Yeah. Sure is," he muttered, bringing one hand to his face, rubbing the scruff of his chin before biting at his thumbnail.

"So are you—" The patio doors screeched in their tracks, and Carol jumped at the sound. Carl Grimes came running out of the house, practically plowing into Daryl. Daryl grunted the second the kid's head made contact with his stomach.

"Shit," he grunted. "You musta got that hard head from your old man."

"You wanna come see the tree house before we eat? It's not done yet, but Dad promised he'd help me."

"Some other time, Carl," Lori called from the patio, coming out and giving Carol a squeeze on the shoulder. Daryl watched as Carol smiled at her friend, those pretty blue eyes sparkling like blue diamonds, even as she turned her gaze back to him.

"But, Mom," Carl whined.

"No buts. Go find a seat. Dad's about to bring out the potato salad."

"Ick," Carl replied, making a face before he retreated over to a picnic table set out in the yard."

"Kids," Lori sighed, rubbing her belly. "What was I thinking having another one?"

"You weren't," Carol teased. "That's what got you into this mess." Carol reached over and gave Lori's belly a rub, and they both laughed. "But, hey, you won't be outnumbered anymore."

" _That's_ what I was going for," Lori laughed, turning to Daryl. "Carol, this is our good friend, Daryl. Daryl, this is my friend from college, Carol. We go way back."

"Way back," Carol offered with a laugh.

"Please. We're only 38. We're still young. Hey, if I'm young enough to still make a person, I'm going to consider myself young enough." Carol laughed then, reaching her hand out. She grinned when she saw the sparkle in Daryl's eyes before his gaze drew down to her delicate hand. "It's nice to meet you, Daryl."

"Yeah. Nice to meet ya," Daryl said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, ever-so-gently rubbing his thumb over the palm over the palm of her hand before he released it. The shiver ran up her spine, and she trembled. The little smirk that tugged at the corner of his mouth did not go unnoticed, and Carol felt her face grow hot. Thankfully, the patio door screeched again, breaking the moment, and Carol took the opportunity to take a deep breath.

"I'm starving," Rick grumbled, heading out of the house with a bowl of potato salad in his hands.

"You are definitely your son's father," Lori teased. "Thank you, baby." She took the bowl from him and thanked him with a kiss. "Alright. Let's eat."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

He watched her. He couldn't help it. She stuck close to Lori, and they got along as if they'd never spent any time apart. They laughed together, and Carol's face lit up when she smiled. And he'd catch her looking at him, too, and the tops of his ears would burn bright.

"Do you have any kids?" Carl asked, taking a big bite from his cheeseburger.

"Manners. Wipe your mouth," Lori scolded. The boy blushed, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, swallowed the large bite and then looked at Carol expectantly.

"Uh, no," she chuckled.

"Well, why not?" Carl asked.

"Carl," Rick warned. "Let's let Carol eat her supper without playing 20 questions."

"But…"

"It's ok," Carol said with a little smile. Daryl watched her, watched the way her eyes reflected something that her smile didn't. There was a reservation there, a sadness, but there was something else. Relief? He watched as she took a drink of iced tea and put her glass back down. "Not every married couple has children, and that's just the way it was with my ex-husband and myself. It's probably a good thing we never had children."

"Why?" Carl asked.

"Carl," Lori warned.

"Don't you like kids?"

"Of course," Carol chuckled. "But Ed had his job, and I was busy with mine, and there was never a right time to start a family." She shrugged and glanced at Daryl before looking back to Carl. "And we're not married anymore, so I suppose it was for the best." Carl seemed satisfied with that answer and took another bite.

"I can't believe how much he's grown since I saw him last," Carol murmured to Lori, who grinned and nodded.

"I know. I swear I have to buy him a new wardrobe every six months. He seems to outgrow clothes faster than I can buy them." They laughed together, and when silence settled over the group, Rick cleared his throat.

"So, Carol's a photographer."

"Amateur photographer," Carol corrected, blushing.

"Well, still, a damned good one," Rick insisted, pointing the neck of his beer bottle toward Carol. "And Daryl's a mechanic. Bet he could fix just about any kinda car. Don't know how many times he's fixed my squad car. Good with his hands." Daryl nearly choked on his burger and leveled a glare at Rick. If looks could kill, Rick would have been ashes in the wind.

Lori glanced at her husband before clearing her throat and turning to Carol.

"You know, Carol, Daryl's known Rick for a long time. They pretty much grew up together."

"Is that right?" Carol asked, taking another sip of iced tea, peeking at Daryl from across the table. She watched him shift in his seat, and she grinned.

"That's right," Rick said, clapping his friend on the back. "He's got my ass out of a few bad situations."

"Goes both ways," Daryl muttered with a shrug. "Ain't nothin' you wouldn't do for me." He looked at her again, watched the way her lips pursed at the rim of the glass, the way the sweat shone on her skin, the way her pupils darkened. He couldn't help but let his gaze follow a droplet of sweat down her neck and down the neck of her shirt. Despite the fact that her shirt left everything to the imagination and didn't even so much as show a bit of cleavage, he let his mind wander, let himself escape back to the previous night, back to that moment when he'd felt more alive than ever before.

"You ask me," Rick said, clearing his throat, "Ed Peletier was an idiot to let you get away." Daryl watched as Carol flinched, and then he noticed the way Lori's hand moved under the table, as if seeking out Carol's in an attempt to console her. There was something in the air, something missing, and Daryl could immediately sense the change in Carol's face, see the way her upper body stiffened at the mere mention of her ex husband's name. "Never did like the guy."

"Baby, let's change the subject," Lori offered, keeping her voice light as she leveled one of those 'or else' stares at her husband. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat, and Carl pushed his plate back.

"Can I be excused?" he asked.

"Can you?" Lori asked. "I don't know…"

"May I?" Carl groaned with an eye roll.

"Yes, you may." Before he could be given any clean up instructions, he shot off from the table, going off toward the back of the fenced in yard to play.

"Anybody still hungry?" Rick asked, tossing his napkin down on his plate.

"God, no," Lori chuckled. "I feel like I ate for three. Carol? Daryl?"

"I'm good," Daryl replied, sucking down the last of his beer.

"No, thank you. I had enough," Carol chuckled, putting down her spoon.

"Alright," Lori groaned, standing up and rubbing her belly. "I better get these in the sink before the flies start buzzing around.

"I'll help," Carol offered, moving to get up.

"Oh no you won't," Lori said sternly. "You're a guest, and guests don't do dishes in my house…unless they're sleeping on my couch and eating all my food." She elbowed Rick teasingly.

"My brother comes over for three days, and you'd think he offended her family's honor."

"He walked around in his underwear and walked in on me in the shower," Lori scoffed. "C'mon. You're on rinse and dry duty."

"Yes, ma'am." He got up to follow her into the house, and he turned, smirking at Daryl. "She runs a tight ship, my wife."

"I heard that!" Lori called with a laugh, as Rick grabbed the plates and followed her into the house. And there they were again, alone in silence. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow upon her face. He couldn't help but stare.

"Something wrong?" Carol finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Huh?"

"Are you ok?" she asked with a little grin. "I know this is probably a little awkward."

"It's alright," he shrugged, pink cheeks giving away the game. "Hell, I sure didn't expect to see you here tonight. Ain't a bad thing, though. Glad I got to see you again." Her eyes widened a little, and he watched her tuck her hands into her lap, as if she didn't know what to do with them.

"You know, I had this funny feeling this morning when I woke up. I can't really explain it. It was like I was anxious, like I couldn't sit still." She laughed. "I got up and took a swim. I even took a walk. I just felt restless." She smiled and bit her lip. "I almost braved getting lost again this morning just to try to find your house again, but then I figured you'd probably be at work."

"Kinda hard to go to work when ya ain't got a job to go to. Got canned yesterday afternoon."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Carol said softly.

"I'm not. Good riddance if ya ask me. I'll find something better." Carol smiled at that.

"There's always something better on the horizon. That's what I keep telling myself every time I set out on the road." She shrugged. Daryl cleared his throat then, glancing toward the house and then over his shoulder before looking back at her.

"You got plans tomorrow?"

"Why?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him despite the grin she wore.

"Just askin'," he said with a shrug.

"Well, my plans were to stretch out in my hotel room, watch movies, order room service and treat myself to a little luxury before I get back out on the road." She grinned. "You wanna join me?"

"You serious?"

"Sure I'm serious. It's a nice hotel. I sleep in my RV, so when I do have a rare occasion to stay in a hotel, I make sure it's a nice one. Spend carefully but treat yourself. It keeps you going." She smiled. Then she leaned forward, and he felt his heart jump. On the inside, he was shaking, every nerve seeming to be buzzing, eager for whatever she would give, though he was certain nothing could top being buried inside of her, hearing his name on her lips. "And, maybe I won't have to live with you being just a one night stand." Well, that did it. His hands went clammy, his face went hot, his spine tingled, and his jeans were suddenly very uncomfortable. But somehow, he swallowed through it and kept his voice even and calm.

"That all that was?"

"Well, it won't be if you come back to the hotel with me tonight." She grinned, and suddenly, his body was eager to find out exactly what Carol was planning in that beautiful mind of hers.

"Carl," Lori called, stepping out on the patio. "Come inside and wash up, baby. Make sure you brush your teeth and say your prayers."

"Five more minutes?" Carl hollered from somewhere in the back of the darkening yard.

"Now." A dramatic sigh, followed by heavy footsteps echoed from out of the darkness, and soon, Carl came rushing by. "Say good night to our guests."

"Good night!" he hollered without stopping. Lori sighed with exasperation, and Rick came out of the house.

"Anybody want another drink?" he offered.

"Nah," Daryl murmured, glancing at Carol. "I'm drivin' tonight. Better stop."

"I should stop, too. I want to remember everything tonight." Her words were directed at Lori and Rick, but Daryl knew they were meant for him, and he couldn't help but feel his dick stiffen at the thought of exactly what kind of memories they'd be making.

"Honey, I'm so glad you came to town," Lori murmured, moving over to bend down and wrap her arms around her friend from behind. Carol smiled, rubbing her hand over Lori's arm.

"Hey, I promise I won't wait another eight years to come for a visit."

"You better not," Lori chuckled. "Love you."

"Love you too," Carol replied with a smile.

"You guys wanna watch a movie or play some pool?" she asked, straightening up with her hand on her belly, eyeing their guests.

"I really should be getting back soon," Carol said softly, standing up and hugging Lori properly. "I don't think I've fully recovered from yesterday." She caught Daryl's eye as he stood, and he felt his heart start to race. "All of those miles seem to blur together."

"Alright, let me find my keys. I'll drive you," Lori offered.

"I can drive her. Hell, it ain't that far. Down on Rosewood, right?" Daryl asked. Lori narrowed her eyes at him.

"Uh…yeah. How'd you know?" Glancing at Carol, he cleared his throat and stuffed his hands in his pocket.

"We were just talking about it while you two were doing dishes," Carol chimed in.

"Alright," Lori said with a shrug, "you ok to drive, Daryl?"

"I'm good, but we'll hang out a little longer to be safe. That alright?" He couldn't help but glance at Carol for confirmation.

"Perfect," Carol said with a smile.

"Good," Lori beamed. "I'll go make some more iced tea. You wanna help me, hon?" She took Rick's hand, and he raised his eyebrow at Daryl before turning to follow his wife into the house.

"What was that about?" Rick asked, once they were safely inside the kitchen.

"I just wanted to give them a few minutes alone," she whispered. "Hand me that pitcher." Rick reached into the fridge for the tea pitcher, and Lori set out making some fresh.

"You still pushin' this?"

"I don't think they need to be pushed. Have you seen the way they've been staring at each other all night?"

"Huh?" Rick asked.

"Sometimes you are such a guy," Lori groaned. She nodded toward the window. "C'mere." She took his hand and led him to the window. She peeked out and then turned to him with a smile on her face. "Just look." With a sigh, Rick looked out to see Carol sitting down next to Daryl, barely any space between them.

"What am I lookin' at?"

"Just…look." She wrapped one arm around his middle and rested her cheek upon his back, closing her eyes, smiling when she heard the rumble of a chuckle in his chest. "Is he kissing her?"

"No," Rick snorted. "But he sure looks like he—yeah, yeah, now he's kissin' her. She's kissin' him back, too." He chuckled. "Huh."

"Told you," Lori laughed, pulling back and tugging at Rick's shirt to turn him around.

"How'd you know?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at her, cocking his head to the side.

"Just call it a woman's intuition. Besides, they were so busy noticing each other all night, they didn't notice me noticing them. It was pretty obvious if you were paying attention." She grinned at him, wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. When she pulled back, Rick started for the door, but she tugged on his hand. "Wait. Wait. Give them a few minutes. Just…let them be." With a grin, she pulled her husband into another sweet kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The hotel was only a few blocks from Rick and Lori's but it felt like a lifetime, especially when Daryl made a pit stop at a drug store. Carol waited in the truck, sitting on her hands to try to keep herself still. She felt like she was moving at warp-speed on the inside, and her stomach was flip-flopping. Her brain screamed at her, telling her to walk away, to just end it now, because the more she thought about being with him, the more she wanted it. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that this was just supposed to be a fling, only now she didn't want that. She wanted more. And she was leaving in two days.

She took a couple of deep breaths, closing her eyes and willing her anxieties to go away. The night before had been great and had left her wanting more of him. She knew that when it came time to say goodbye, it would be harder now. He was in her blood. She craved him. And while her head screamed at her not to get too close, her heart wanted what it wanted. And as much as she wanted to continue on her journey, she wanted to get to know him so much more.

She watched as he walked up to the checkout counter and handed the cashier a couple of bills, ducking his head a little as the cashier bagged his purchase. She could just picture the flush on his cheeks as he grabbed for the brown paper bag, and she bit back a giggle when he picked up the pace on his way out of the store. It was endearing that a man at Daryl's age could get flustered picking out condoms.

He flung open the door and tossed the bag inside before scooting in and buckling up.

"You ok?" she asked softly from her seat.

"Yeah."

"Daryl?"

"It's nothin'." At Carol's pointed look, Daryl growled under his breath.

"They didn't have none on the shelf, so I had to ask the smart-ass behind the counter for a box."

"Oh." Carol couldn't help the grin that spread over her face. He gawked at her for a minute, trying to decide if it was worth getting pissed over, but that smile was so damned contagious that he couldn't help but blush and grin back at her. "I'm sorry, Daryl. I didn't mean to laugh. I just assumed that a man like you would've made this trip a hundred times."

"A man like me?" Daryl asked, peeking at her from behind the curtain of hair that fell into his face. He brushed it away, and she smiled, bringing her hand up to smooth his hair back.

"Oh, you're the strong, handsome, quiet type. Not in the stereotypical way, though. You're mysterious."

"Mysterious?"

"Yeah. There's a lot of story in those eyes." She grinned and shrugged. "Or maybe that's the dreamer in me."

"Everybody's got a story," Daryl pointed out. "Not everybody wants to hear it." He cleared his throat then, and Carol reached over to curl her fingers with his.

"You're right," she said quietly, gaze flickering up to his. "Everybody does have a story." She rubbed her thumb over his knuckles, and he gave her hand a squeeze. There it was again. That sadness in her eyes. That mystery that he couldn't puzzle out. But then she took a breath and looked up at him again, seeing something more. "Will you do something for me?"

"What's that?"

"I don't want to go back to the hotel right away. Will you take me to your place?"

"My place?"

"Yeah." She smiled, and his heart filled with sunshine. She reached up and brushed her hand against his cheek. "Maybe you can give me the tour." His heart began to race, and his blood began to simmer in his veins. His mind went back to the night before, the feeling of sinking into her, of fucking her, of feeling her nails bite into his skin when she came.

His jeans felt a little tighter, and he felt a pull in his groin as his body began to respond to the simple touch of her palm against his face. He was done for.

"Hang on," he grunted, throwing the truck into gear. "I know a short cut."

...

She sighed against his mouth, twisting her fingers into his hair. He groaned when her hand moved between them, squeezing him through his jeans, making his hips buck up off the seat. She smiled when his hand moved around to squeeze her ass, and she tugged his lower lip between her teeth, nipping it for good measure.

"You taste like cherries," Carol giggled, pulling back and peering down at him, pushing his hair out of his face. "Chapstick?"

"Lips were dry. Only one I could find," he muttered.

"I like it," she grinned.

"Glad you approve." He figured he'd jump into an entire vat of melted cherry Chapstick if it so pleased her. As long as she kept kissing and touching him like that, he figured he'd do damn near anything for her.

Her tongue was in his mouth again, his hands moved up her back, sliding over the thin material of her blouse before moving one hand up behind her neck, gently pulling her closer. She tensed for a moment until he moved his hand away from her neck, and then she relaxed into him, kissing him deeper. Her hands were popping the buttons on his shirt, fingertips tickling each bit of skin she exposed. She smiled when she felt him shiver, making a mental note to strive for that response again later.

He pulled back then, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger, gently brushing the pad of his thumb across her lips. Her eyes were on his, and he watched her struggle for a moment, struggle for the confidence to hold his gaze.

"You wanna go inside?"

"Yeah," she whispered, as he leaned in and peppered kisses along her jaw. She moaned softly when his lips pressed behind her ear, and her fingers curled into his shirt. She gasped softly when his hand moved between her legs, rubbing her until she was writhing in his lap.

"Daryl," she panted. "You better stop or we'll never make it to the door." Daryl snorted then, moving his hands to her hips, kissing her again before he reached for the door and popped it open. She slid off his lap and got out of the truck, while he made a grab for the paper bag from the drug store.

When he turned to lock up the truck, he felt her hand fold into his, her fingers curl around his, and he looked down at their hands for a moment before looking up at her. For something that was going to end so soon, it felt too good to let go. He'd never felt the desire to just be close to someone before. Until her. And she was just passing through. Hell, there was a chance he'd never see her again. There was a chance he'd wake up in the morning and the fog would life and it would all have just been a dream.

A piece of him ached. He wanted her. It wasn't just sex. He wanted to look into her eyes. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to know everything about her. And he knew it was his own stupid heart playing with him, because he was forever the cartoon squirrel chasing the unattainable acorn. But there was possibility here, even if his mind knew she'd be gone in less than 48 hours.

"You wanna stay with me tonight?" he asked, fingers threading with hers. She took a shaky breath, looking down as if gathering up courage. When she looked at him, he watched the smile creep up, and in moments, she was grinning.

"I'd like that," she murmured, giving his hand a squeeze before following him up the walk to the porch.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

He watched the way she moved, the way her hands pulled at the button on her pants, the way they gripped the sides and slid them down her long, lithe legs. He was drawn to stare at the apex of her thighs, the way her shirt hung low enough to cover all but a small triangle of white cotton. His mouth watered, and he had the sudden urge to pull her close and bury his nose against her, to inhale the scent of arousal that was already surrounding him. He wanted to draw her in close, to press kisses over her thighs, to taste her if she'd let him.

When his gaze moved up her body and up to her eyes, he brought his hands to her hips, tugging her close, as he sat on the edge of the bed. He gathered the back of her shirt in a bunch in his hands, pulling her closer to stand between his legs. He looked up at her, hair pushed back out of his eyes, blue on blue, and he closed his eyes when she ran her fingers through his hair. He sighed then, relaxing a little as her hands moved down his neck and shoulders before helping him out of his shirt. She smiled when he shivered again as her fingertips tickled over his chest.

She gasped when his arms came around her middle pulling her closer, pulling her down into his lap. She could feel his erection pressing against the fly of his jeans, and she felt dizzy with power knowing she'd barely even touched him yet, and he was already bursting at the seams.

Her head fell back as he sucked at the hollow of her throat. His hands moved up the back of her shirt, toying with the back of her bra. That was when she tensed, bringing her hands to his shoulders, pulling back so that when his eyes flew open, he could see the reservations in hers.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Please," she said with a little shake of her head. He stared at her, confused, seeing the worry and the anxiety flash across her face. She was beautiful. She had to know that. Everything from the freckles of her collarbones to the ice blue of her eyes to the early grey of her hair that seemed to shimmer silver in the moonlight. She was exquisite.

He brought his hands to her hips again, and she relaxed, bringing her arms around his neck and kissing him softly. She wrapped her legs around him, and he brought his hands down to knead her thighs, and it was so intimate, like they were having their own private, silent conversation.

"This ok?" he asked, moving his hands up her sides, reveling in the feel of her, lean and soft in all the right places. She smiled, biting her lip and nodding her head.

"This is good," she whispered, arching her neck back so he could nip along her jaw and her neck. She sighed, thighs trembling as she squeezed them around his hips. She let go then, letting herself get lost in the feel of his hands grazing over her breasts, squeezing her gently but never pushing past that. He kissed the hollow of her throat, nipped at her collarbones, trailed his tongue along the exposed flesh above her breasts, and she bit her lip, moaning softly at the tension between her legs. She gasped softly as his thumb brushed across her hardened nipple, and she cried out. Her blood was simmering now, skin aching to be sucked, nipple straining at the fabric of her bra. What she wouldn't give to feel his mouth on her, sucking her, teasing her with his hands as he worked. Oh, she needed a distraction. "Ok," she breathed. "Wait…" She stood then, knees a bit wobbly as she pushed him back to lay on the bed. She worked the button on his jeans, keeping her eyes on him as he folded his arms behind his head and watched her, stomach muscles tensing and chest shuddering as he struggled to find his breath. She smiled a little, blushing when she got his jeans down his hips and tugged them off one leg and then the other.

She watched him for a moment, admired the way he was built so beautifully. Strong and lean, a sparse smattering of hair over his chest and stomach. His chin was rough with graying stubble, and his eyes were so dark as he admired the curve of her hips and her thighs. And then he was holding his hand out to her.

"C'mere," he murmured, pulling her down on him when she took his hand. She smiled then, straddling his hips, peering down at him as he looked up at her with so many emotions in his eyes. Emotions they had no time to explore or talk about. But they could certainly feel it, show it.

She'd never had a man look at her the way Daryl did. In fifteen years of marriage, Ed had never once looked at her like she was beautiful, never treated her like she was special. She wasn't a woman who starved for that kind of attention, by any means, and she'd mostly been content with masturbation rather than having Ed sweat all over her until he found his own release. But sometimes she longed for someone to look at her like he wanted to give her the world, and damn it if Daryl Dixon wasn't looking at her like that in that very moment as his fingers dug into her hips and stripped her panties down her hips.

She shifted to kick the garment away, and Daryl's hand was instantly between her legs, stroking her already wet center, making her squirm.

"Yes," she panted, grinding against his hand when his thumb found her clit and began to tease her. "Please don't stop." She bucked against his hand, holding herself steady with one hand on his shoulder. She gasped then, biting her lip as he stroked her, parting her folds and pushing two fingers in. Her walls clenched around him, and he pushed deeper, sitting up a little, the change of position pushing him deeper and making her cry out. She bowed her head, gasping for breath against his neck until her nails bit into his shoulders.

He felt her spasm around his fingers, and the flood of warmth that coated his fingers followed a desperate moan, and then she slumped against him, kissing his neck and his shoulder before claiming his mouth in a searing kiss. He groaned against the kiss when her hands pushed at his boxers, hands desperately mapping him out as he rolled her onto her back. She sprawled out before him, legs open, pussy glistening. He quickly discarded his boxers and socks, and she bit back a giggle when his hair flopped into his face again. He pushed it back again, and she reached for him as he grabbed the box of condoms and fished out a shiny little wrapper. He put it aside though, and she gasped softly, opening up to him when he kissed her, meeting his tongue with her own in a sensual kiss. His lips were soft and plaint against her own, and she melted beneath him, hands tracing over his back, finding a ridge she hadn't previously noticed the night before in their fumbling.

Daryl paused then, as Carol's fingers gently mapped out memory of this scar. She felt him freeze before her, and her eyes welled with tears. Biting her bottom lip, she pushed at his chest, just enough so that he could let her sit up and tug at her shirt. He watched in awe as the fear and uncertainty flooded her face for a moment, until she was bare before him, shirt and bra flung over the headboard, revealing a smattering of small, circular scars over her stomach and chest. He'd lived his life with the scars of his childhood, emotional and physical, a daily reminder of asshole number six that had nearly killed him for trying to defend his own mother.

She had scars too. And he could see it in her eyes. They went far beyond the surface of her skin. They pierced her soul, and she carried the weight of them like he carried his on his back. She had scars, and she was beautiful. And her first instinct was to cover herself, to cover the shame of what some bastard had done to her. But he gently took her hands in his, threading his fingers with hers and bringing her hand to his lips. He kissed the ridge of her knuckles before he brought her arm around his neck, draping it there as he came in for another sweet kiss.

She shivered against him, holding him tight as he pressed kisses along her collarbones and down her chest, closing his mouth over one scar at the side of her breast, gently tasting her, soothing the spot with his tongue before he moved to tease her nipple, gently toying with it before he moved to the other, taking his time, enjoying this, enjoying her as if it was the last time. And likely, it was.

As much as he hated to admit it, he knew he couldn't kid himself. Still, he wanted her to know that she meant something to him. He wanted her to feel it the way he felt it.

And when he began to kiss her stomach, her hands trembled, threading in his hair. Her stomach jumped under each kiss, and she looked down to see him caressing the smattering of scars as he moved lower.

"Hey," she whispered. "You don't have to."

"Lay back," he urged, settling between her legs and pressing a kiss to her hip. He watched her trembling before him, lower lip caught between her teeth. Her thighs closed in hesitation, and he gently caressed her ankle, pressing a kiss to her knee. "You want me to stop?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "It's been a while, and I…Ed didn't…he…" She took a shaky breath, closing out the past along with the shaming remarks about her taste, her scent, the way her body responded to stimulation. She was shaking now, and Daryl sat up a little.

"We don't have to," he promised. "We don't." Carol nodded then, reaching for him, hands at his shoulders.

"I know," she breathed. "I just…I need a minute." Daryl nodded then, moving to kiss her stomach again, hands ghosting over her breasts, teasing her until she was arching into his touch. And she bit her lip, gasping when he pushed two fingers inside of her again, rocking the heel of his hand against her clit until she was bucking against him again. "Daryl…ohhhh…" She was flying again, and he pulled back and watched the way her jaw dropped and tightened, the way her hands dug into the sheets, the way her fingers knotted into the sheets for purchase.

And when she finally relaxed, Daryl reached for the condom he'd tossed to the wayside. He crawled up her, settling between her legs, ripping open the wrapper and sliding the latex over his dick. He groaned then, aching now more than ever to bury himself inside of her, and he saw the gratitude in her eyes when he didn't press the previous issue. She wasn't ready, and he respected that. And he prayed that one day he'd have the opportunity to take his time with her, to really show her how good it could feel with a respectful partner.

She curled her leg around his hip, pulling him close, sucking his bottom lip into her mouth as he pushed into her. She cried out, gasping against his mouth as he filled her. His hands were on her hips, pulling her closer, never getting close enough.

Her hands were on his back, nails digging into his skin before letting up and trailing over the curves of the muscles on his arms. Her touch was so light, so sweet. It triggered a shiver out of nowhere, and she felt it, smiling before she pulled him down over her for a kiss.

He held on for her, shifting his hips, bringing her legs over his shoulders until she was biting her cries against the back of her hand. And when he sought her hand out and lifted her arms above her head, he latched onto a nipple and nipped it with his teeth. She let go then, crying out without restraint, walls clenching around him as he found his own release. And when he collapsed atop her, she stroked his back, pushing his hair back out of his eyes and off of his forehead. She smiled, kissing his forehead, tasting the sweat on his skin, sighing as they lay together, connected. She'd never felt such intimacy. It was over, and he was looking at her like it would never be enough, like he could kiss her forever and never come up for breath.

"You ok?" she asked softly, gently trailing her finger down his jaw.

"Yeah," he grunted, burying his face against her neck. She smiled then, chuckling and curling her arms around his shoulders. There was no rush. She'd hold him like this all night if she could. Maybe, for her, too, she would never stop wanting more.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Daryl cracked one eye open the second he felt a hand brushing over his thigh beneath the sheet. He couldn't help the grin that that pulled at the corner of his mouth when he saw her staring down at him with a grin that eclipsed his own.

"Hey," he muttered, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Time is it?"

"Almost five," she whispered. "The sun's about to rise." _Won't be the only thing_ , he thought to himself, as her hand brushed over his dick, passing it over quickly to rest on his stomach. _Tease_. "We fell asleep."

"You wore me out," he smirked. "You want me to take ya back to the hotel?"

"I'm ok here for now, but I'm not opposed to going for a swim later if you want to join me." Daryl thought for a moment, before he grabbed her and pulled her on top of him. She giggled and leaned down to kiss him, as his hands moved slowly down her back and over her ass, giving her a little squeeze. She kissed him slowly, sucking his tongue into her mouth while she brushed her fingertips lightly over his chest. There was that shiver again. He sighed when she pulled back to look at him.

"You really gotta leave in the morning?" he asked, those blue eyes sparkling in the dim light from the bedside table. Carol's smile faltered then, and she leaned in to kiss him one more time. Then she moved off of him, laying on her side next to him and propping her head up to see him better.

"I do," she said quietly. "That's the plan."

"You can't change 'em?"

"No," she said with a little smile. "That's all I've ever done my whole life. Change my plans for someone else." She shook her head. "No offense, but you weren't exactly part of my plan."

"Yeah, you weren't part of mine, neither."

"I'm glad I broke down in front your house, though," she said with a grin. "These past couple days have been the most fun I've had since I left on this trip."

"See, all the more reason you should stay a few more days," he pointed out. She sighed then, brushing her hand across his cheek.

"That'd just be prolonging the inevitable. I have to go tomorrow. First thing." Daryl sighed despite his best efforts not to mope about it.

"S'alright. I get it. I been here my whole life. If I was you, I'd wanna get out as soon as possible, too." Carol chewed her lip for a moment and narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

"It's nothing," she said softly, smiling at him before cocking her head to the side and giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'm just glad I met you."

"Yeah?"

"Mmm. I like you. I was terrified of putting myself out there, of meeting someone." Daryl gently eased the sheet down her body, letting it rest over her hips. His gaze fell from her face down to her breasts and then over her stomach. He leaned in then, pressing soft kisses to her throat and then to her chest, bringing one arm around her to pull her close, palming her breast and kneading it gently, rolling the nipple between his fingers. She shivered at the touch, and then she gently pushed at his chest,

"You don't have to…I know it's ugly." Daryl moved his hand away, bringing it to rest upon her lower back. He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead.

"Hey," he murmured. "I got scars, too. Ain't nothin' about you is ugly." She shook her head.

"He told me he'd make sure no other man would want me." She sighed then, and Daryl let her go. They sat up, and Daryl watched as she pulled the sheet around herself. "He'd get jealous. Accuse me of flirting with the men from his office. He accused me of cheating on him several times." She shook her head and let out a dry laugh. "My husband," she said quietly. "It was little things at first. It was systematic. He'd graduate from pushing me around to slapping me. He didn't like to leave marks where they were visible. One night, he got piss drunk and beat me unconscious. When I woke up, I realized he'd been putting his cigarettes out on me." Her brows raised and her eyes glassed over, and he could tell she was right there, remember it all over again. "I don't know how long I was out, but I hurt all over. Pain you wouldn't believe. Burns all over me, scarring me. And when I started to scream, he put his hands around my throat and swore he'd kill me. He'd find a way."

"Jesus," Daryl murmured. "You call the cops?"

"It was always in the back of my mind. But I knew that if I did, he'd just have his lawyer buddies get him out and get the charges dismissed. That's the kind of power my husband had. And I wanted to leave. I couldn't. I knew if I did, I wouldn't have anything but that damned camper. I had to be ready. I saved my money, and I finally got help. I was lucky. He could have killed me, and I think…I think he'd have gotten away with it." She shrugged her shoulders. "I took off with my savings and that camper, and I haven't stopped for more than a few days since the divorce was finalized. That RV is my home. It's all I've got." She shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't found a place to put down roots, but I'm not ready for that yet. I want to make a book. I want to use the money my lawyer got me in the divorce to get my photos published with a portion of the profits going to help abused wives get out and get their lives back. I did it, and I know if I could do it, someone else can, too."

He watched her then, watched the determination fill her eyes. The sadness in her eyes disappeared the moment he brought his hand to her face.

"You got out. You survived it." Carol smiled then.

"I did. It wasn't easy, but I did it. And Ed…he's going to have to live with what he did. I only hope that the next girl has the courage to put him in jail."

"You don't think you're brave?" Daryl asked.

"I was tired. I wanted out. My lawyer wanted to hit him hard, but I just wanted it over. She was being threatened. I was being threatened. It was one of those situations where I knew that if I didn't step down, he'd find a way to make me." She shook her head. "I was tired of living in fear, you know? And Ed knows better than to ever come after me again. He knows I found my strength, and he knows that if it came down to it, I'd kill him. And I would. And he'd win." Daryl moved to take her hand in his. She smiled then, looking down as he brushed his thumb over his knuckles. "I took a chance when I met you. In the back of my mind, I kept hearing Ed screaming at me, telling me I was trash, that I was ugly and all used up and that nobody would ever want me. He screamed these things at me the day Lori showed up to help me pack my things. It went through my head when I saw you, but then you looked at me the way you did, you made me feel wanted, and I just wanted to feel something new. Something good." She smiled then, blushing. "I'm glad a took a chance."

"M'glad you did too," Daryl chuckled, lowering his head for a moment, before looking back up into her eyes and sobering. "I don't even remember my old man. He died 'fore I can remember. My mama was always tryin' to find a man, tryin' to fill my dad's shoes, you know? Some of 'em treated her decent. Some of 'em treated her like shit. One of 'em 'bout broke her jaw one night, and I went after him, wasn't much bigger'n ten or eleven. He threw me into the coffee table, tore my back up, knocked out a couple teeth."

"Daryl, that's awful," Carol murmured softly. "I'm sorry."

"I got through it. She kicked his ass out and moved onto the next one a couple months later. She tried, I guess. It wasn't always bad, but she never did find somebody worth keepin' around." Carol brought her hand up and brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"You survived, too," she smiled.

"Guess I did," he grunted. "My brother, he moved away. He's got a wife and a couple kids down in Savannah. I stayed. Bought my own house, got some money saved up, which is good since I lost my damned job." Carol chuckled at that. "But I ain't never been outta Georgia."

"Never?"

"Nah. My brother Merle says we went up to Nashville one summer when I was little, but I can't remember it. Guess I just got stuck here, you know? Workin', payin' off my truck. That's alright though, 'cause I got a place to call my own."

She smiled then, bowing her head for a moment before she looked at him and pursed her lips. But then a grin spread over her face again, and she watched his eyes narrow in confusion.

"What?" he asked, as she climbed into his lap, wrapping herself around him and draping her arms over his shoulders. She sighed and cocked her head to the side, kissed him softly and then leaned back to look into his eyes with an ever-widening smile lighting up her face.

"I have a really crazy idea, and I think it might be the best idea I've ever had."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 _This is crazy. This is crazy. This is so crazy._

Carol took a deep breath and tucked her room key card into the slot on the door. At the flashing green light, she pushed the door open to be welcomed by the cool air-conditioning and a freshly made bed. He was right behind her, pawing at her hips as she fumbled for the lights.

She gasped softly when he spun her around, pushing her against the wall, pressing his thigh between her legs before he lifted her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist.

 _You barely know him._ _What if you find out you have nothing in common? This could end badly. Sex isn't everything._

He slipped his tongue into her mouth, and she slid her fingers into his hair, moaning as he thrust against her. She gasped at the sensation and pushed off from the wall. They ended up on the bed, Daryl sprawled out, Carol on top of him, straddling him, hands on his chest while his hands roamed up her sides and over her breasts.

 _Oh, but the sex is so good._

"I thought," she panted, "we came here to swim…and pack my things."

"We did," he promised, grabbing the sides of her shirt and tugging upward. She raised her arms, lifting the garment off of herself before she discarded her bra. He sat up, immediately closing his lips around a rosy nipple, teasing it and rolling it with his tongue until she was writhing atop him.

"Daryl," she panted. "Oh, God." One arm snaked around her waist, while his other hand caressed the back of her neck and gently brushed through her hair. She shivered at the sensation, and he moved to tease her other breast. "Oh… _oh_ , oh God." She bit her lip, arching her neck back and pushing herself further into his mouth.

His mouth was hot and wet and felt so good against her skin, and with each flick of his tongue over her pebbled flesh, her core began to throb. She gasped then, pushing down on his shoulders, easing him back onto the bed.

"Ok," she breathed. "Ok, you have things to do, and…"

"I got things to do here, first," he grunted, gripping her hips and flipping her onto the mattress. She squealed when he crawled over her, kissing her neck and moving down between her breasts. She closed her eyes then, biting her lip, grinning through it as his kisses moved lower and down over her stomach.

"Oh…okay," she murmured. "Ok, you didn't happen to bring the condoms in out of the truck, did you?" Daryl paused, mouth hovering over the skin between her belly button and the top of her jeans, and he frowned.

"Shit."

"I think a cold swim's in order," she chuckled, patting his cheek and urging him up so she could sit up. "But _first_ , you have phone calls to make."

"I can make 'em tomorrow."

"Daryl, if you really want to do this, you _really_ need to make arrangements for your house."

"Already got a plan," Daryl promised, watched Carol tug her shirt back over her head, sans bra.

"What's that?"

"Gonna turn off the water and electric at the house, have my mail forwarded to Rick's 'til I get home. I always look after Rick's place when he goes outta town with Lori and the kids. I'm sure he'd do the same for me." He couldn't help but feel the warmth spread through his chest as her smile grew. "All I owe on the truck is three hundred bucks. I can use my last paycheck on that, so I don't gotta worry 'bout somebody comin' to repo it."

"You _have_ thought this through," Carol chuckled.

"And I got money saved. I'm gonna pay my half of gas and food and whatever else…"

"Some RV parks charge a fee to park for the night, especially if we have to clean out the, uh, toilet."

"We gotta do that?"

"Well, yeah. Where do you think everything goes?" Carol chuckled. Daryl thought for a moment.

"Huh."

"Don't worry. I have everything we need stored under the RV." She smiled at him. "This is crazy."

"It's crazy," he agreed. "You're sure you want me to come along?"

"You would think," she murmured, bringing her hand to his cheek and sweeping it gently through his hair, "that I'd be freaking out right now. I mean, one perk of this trip has been putting as much distance between myself and my failed marriage as possible. And I was going to be this strong, independent woman who didn't need a man. I was on a mission." She shrugged. "Then I found you. And I can still be a strong, independent woman. But I have needs. And you take care of each and every one of them." She winked at him, and the tips of his ears turned bright red. "Besides, I kinda like having you around. You're handy."

"Handy for sex?"

"Well, for other things, too. For fixing fan belts, for listening to me, for making me feel a little less alone in the world." She kissed him. "For making me smile when I haven't had much reason to smile for a long time." His hands moved around her waist, and she kissed him again, this time lingering, gently brushing her fingers along the side of his neck. "And you're a _really_ good kisser."

"So ya kinda like me, maybe?" he teased, giving her bottom lip a little nibble.

"Yeah, maybe just a little bit," she whispered, searching his gaze, smiling when his smile grew. "But, I want to see these things with you. I want to see the places I've never seen. But more than that, I want to see _you_ seeing them. You deserve to get away, to have something for yourself. We'll make new memories. Memories that'll keep us going until the next destination. And when you're tired or when you just want to stop, we'll stop, and I'll bring you home."

"Then what?" he asked. "We still just prolongin' the inevitable, here? You gonna disappear on me when this is all over?" Carol sighed, tilting her head to the side.

"Daryl Dixon," she said softly, "I don't want to leave you now. You really think I'll want to leave you forever when this is all over?" She kissed his forehead. "Let's just enjoy the now. We'll worry about the rest later."

...

Daryl pulled up out front of his house, hair still damp from the hotel pool. He slammed the door shut with his booted foot and lit up a cigarette, walking up to the porch and having a seat on the top step, scooting back into the shade. He'd made his calls before he'd even left the hotel, arranging to have electric and water cut off in the morning.

He smirked, shaking his head as he took a long drag on his cigarette. For once, he was thankful he didn't have much shit in his fridge, because at least there wasn't much that would go to waste.

He hadn't wanted to leave her, a part of him still scared shitless that he'd wake tomorrow and she'd be gone, but he saw it in her eyes when she'd bent down and leaned inside the truck to kiss him one last time before he left. She wanted him there. She wanted him with her.

Never in a million years would Daryl Dixon have thought a beautiful woman like Carol would not only want to spend time with him, but invite him, a relative stranger, on a cross-country trip that he could only ever have dreamed about. And now, for the first time in his entire life, he was going to do something crazy, maybe even a little irresponsible, and he was going to enjoy every damned minute of it.

When Rick's police cruiser pulled up behind his truck, Daryl nodded to his friend in greeting. Rick adjusted his holster as he headed up the walk, and he sat down on the stood next to Daryl.

"Thanks for comin' over."

"What's goin' on? Everything alright?"

"Yeah. Just wanted to ask you a favor, and I didn't wanna do it over the phone."

"Alright. What's up?"

"I'm gonna be leavin' town for a while."

"Merle alright? The kids?"

"Yeah, everybody's fine," Daryl promised. "I ain't goin' to Savannah."

"Oh." Rick furrowed his brows, rubbing his palm over his smooth chin. "You goin' to look for work?"

"Nah. Gonna take a trip. Get some fresh air before I gotta come back to this shithole and go crawlin' back to Axel."

"You gonna do that?"

"Hell, I don't know," Daryl grunted. "Ain't much else around. But I need a break. Need to get the hell outta here for a while."

"Alright, so what's the favor?"

"Can ya look after the place?"

"Yeah. No problem. I can have Carl come help me mow on weekends."

"Thanks. Appreciate it. Uh, you think it'd be alright if I had my mail forwarded to your place? I mean, that way my asshole neighbors ain't comin' to snoop through my shit?"

"How long are you planning on being gone, Daryl?" Rick asked, staring pointedly at his friend.

"Don't really know." He cleared his throat, took one last drag on his cigarette and flicked it out onto the sidewalk. Rick eyed him for a moment.

"So, how's things go with Carol last night?" he asked slowly, trying to gauge Daryl's reaction.

"Fine," Daryl pointed out.

"You, uh, get her back to her place ok?"

"Yeah," Daryl shrugged, licking his lips and rubbing his palms on his knees.

"No trouble finding the place?"

"Lived here my whole life. I ain't an idiot." He glanced at Rick who couldn't hold back his shit-eating grin any longer. "Fuck. Is it that obvious?"

"Nah," Rick snorted. "You kissin' her out on the patio last night was, though."

"You saw that?"

"I saw it. Lori saw it. I guess you can't fight chemistry. I mean, you just met the woman, and…"

"I met her the night before last," Daryl admitted. "She broke down in front of my place. Right where you're parked, actually. Busted fan belt. I fixed it."

"That all you did?" Rick asked with a laugh. Daryl glared at him for a moment before looking out toward the street. The following silence was palpable, and Rick took a deep breath. "So, this means you're goin' with her?" At Daryl's look, he decided to tread carefully. "You sure about this?"

"I been here my whole life. Worked shit jobs my whole life. Been with women who don't want much more than a night or two, you know what I mean? Carol's different. I don't know who's more surprised 'bout all of this, me or her." He shrugged then. "I seen you with Lori. You guys seem pretty happy. I ain't never had nothin' like that."

"You think you can have somethin' like that with Carol?" Rick asked, raising an eyebrow. "You gotta be careful, man. She just got divorced. She hasn't been single that long, and…"

"You started seein' Lori—what was it?—three days after she dumped Shane?"

"That was different."

"How was it different?"

"It just was…they weren't married. They were just fooling around."

"Well, Carol ain't Lori," Daryl muttered.

"True," Rick conceded. "Look, you're more of a brother to me than my own brother. I just don't wanna see you get hurt. Don't wanna see Carol get hurt either. She's a good woman."

"You think I'd hurt her?" Daryl asked, narrowing his eye, scuffing the heel of his boot on the sidewalk.

"No, I don't," Rick assured him. "Look, Lori never went into details, but I got the impression over the years that Carol's husband was an asshole. Maybe even an abuser. So I don't know what kind of place Carol's in…"

"I wouldn't ever hurt her like that," Daryl swore. "I ain't that kinda man."

"I know you're not. But she's got some baggage."

"Don't we all?" Daryl asked, before he took another cigarette from his shirt pocket, lit up and took a long drag. "Whatever happens, I ain't sittin' around lettin' my life pass by anymore. Hell, you never know. Maybe I won't have to come back. Might settle down somewhere out there, put down roots. Any place has gotta be better than this."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Daryl remembered one trip out of town when he was little. He remembered that his mom had been happy, and Merle had been a pain in the ass, complaining the whole way, and his mom's boyfriend had paid for the whole thing, bought toys and candy for him and Merle and treated them pretty good. They'd gone to some zoo in southern Georgia, and Daryl remembered that the whole night before the trip, he'd had this funny, anxious sort of feeling in his stomach, sort of a mix between excitement and worry, because Merle had told him that a boy his age had fallen into the lion's exhibit and gotten eaten all up. He hadn't slept a wink until they'd gotten in the car the next morning.

So now, here he was, sitting on the back of his truck with a mug of coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other, and the sun was still hours away from rising. He hadn't slept a wink, and he knew he'd be regretting it later. But, in the time that he'd been wide awake, he'd packed his things, throwing basically every outfit he owned into a suitcase, and he'd made sure to pack those condoms he'd bought. He made a mental note to buy more before they hit the road, because the last thing he wanted to do was run out of rubbers in the middle of nowhere.

When his phone lit up and buzzed in his pocket, he tossed his cigarette away. He grabbed the phone, answering quickly.

"Hey," he murmured, knowing who'd be calling him at this time of the morning.

"Hey yourself," she said with a chuckle. "Can't sleep?"

"Pfft. What about you?"

"Nope," she chuckled. "Too excited. Anxious."

"Yeah," he murmured. "Me too."

"Well, are you hungry?"

"I could eat."

"Good," she laughed. "I'm about three blocks away."

"Good thing I was up, huh?"

"Yep. See you."

"See ya." He put his phone back in his pocket, hurried up the sidewalk to lock up the house, and by the time he came back out, she was pulling up by the curb. When she stepped out, he noticed she was wearing a thin sweater despite the warm early morning. He knew why. He was keenly aware of the lengths some people had to go to in order to cover up scars.

Still, despite the beading of sweat at her brow, she had a smile on her face.

"Coffee?" she asked, when he handed his travel mug to her. She sniffed it before taking a sip. She nearly spat it out. "You like it black?"

"Only way to drink it."

"Oh, we just can't be friends," she teased, putting his mug down on the first step on the RV. He smirked then, tugging her hips into his hands and pressing her up against the side of the camper.

"Good thing I don't wanna be your _friend_." She giggled when his hands moved up her sides. "Friends is good, but I like _this_ better." He leaned in, brushing his lips over hers gently, just enough to urge her to lean into him and reciprocate the kiss. In a moment, his tongue was in her mouth, and her hands were tugging at his shirt and pulling him closer.

"Somebody's gonna see," she whispered, before he tugged her lip with his teeth and ran his hand up her side, thumbing over the peak over her nipple. She moaned softly when he pressed his knee between her legs. She liked this confident side, but as much as it turned her on, she knew if they didn't get a move on, they might be arrested for indecent exposure.

"Don't care," he muttered, moving to suck at her neck. She squirmed between him and the side of the camper, finally, pushing back on his chest and moving out from under him.

"Um, I made room for your things in the back," she offered. "You sure you still want to do this? It's your last chance. No turning back once we hit the road."

"Sure I'm sure," he promised, stepping over to grab his things from next to his truck. He took everything in, following Carol back to the little bedroom. She pushed one closet open, revealing a space she'd made for his suitcase. "You sure you're alright with sharin' close quarters with a stranger."

"Ooh, you make it sound so tawdry," she teased, as he pressed up behind her to put his things in the closet. It was no accident, and she snorted when his hand slipped around to give her boob a squeeze. "Smooth." She laughed then, when he tripped over her, tumbling onto the bed with her, and she rolled to face him, laughing as they untangled themselves from one another.

"For a big ass camper, you barely got room to move back here."

"Well, thankfully we only need to use this back here to sleep." At the crinkle of his nose, she grinned. "And maybe a few other things." Carol bit her lip then, sighing as they sat up. "I'm exhausted."

"Me too," he chuckled. "Maybe we'll stop early tonight. What's the plan today?"

"Well, I'd like to get through Alabama if at all possible."

"Alright. We'll go out I-85, and…"

"Oh no. No interstates." At Daryl's look, she smiled. "Come on, you can't see the country from the interstate. Not much of it anyway. Oh, no. We're avoiding the Interstates, if at all possible."

"You, uh, got a map?"

"Uh-huh. An atlas."

"And, you got directions?"

"Nope." Daryl eyed her. "Just an idea of some of the things I want to see and photograph. I'm not in any hurry, and I want to go for the experience, not for the destination. Does that make any sense?" She smiled a little, nudging his shoulder with her own.

"So, we just…drive west?"

"Now you're talking," she grinned. "Come on. Let's go eat. We've got a hell of a drive ahead of us."


End file.
